Easter Holiday Activities for Kids

Well, Finally the exciting Easter holidays have arrived and no matter whether you have the kids at home for a few long weeks or only one, here are a few of the best and most clever ideas I found online to keep you and your kids entertained together.

I have also posted online a week ago a great recommendation that I found many parents haven't discovered - Hobbycraft! It has saved me on many occasions when giving themed arts and crafts sessions, but if you are in need of some major inspiration for cheap, brilliant and easy crafts materials this is your haven: www.hobbycraft.com/easter There are stores all around the country which you will probably find yourself not wanting to leave once you go in, however for orders online over £10 they give you free delivery. Stock up!

Ok here we go, and remember, Hobbycraft will inspire you for about 20 further ideas at least!

1.  I found this and thought, what fun! It didn't come with instructions, however very simply I can guess that first you buy a few little chocolate eggs, strong PVA glue, yarn of various Easter colours such as light yellow, pinks, greens and lastly a few good quality balloons.
Next you push into the balloon one or two of the little eggs. You don't want them to weigh the balloon down or the yarn once it's hardened.
Blow up the balloon to medium size and then tie the end.
Make sure the balloon is nice and firm and then make up your bowl with the PVA. Take a tread of yarn and dip into the glue and then you can start wrapping it around the balloon. Try to ensure you cover it well, so that once dry it will hold well. Also you can mix yarn colours.
Next leave it to dry very very well, perhaps near a heater.  Once you are sure it has hardened enough, take a pin or nail scissors and through a gap in the yarn, pop the balloon and with tweezers or a cocktail stick, pull the popped balloon out. Lastly you can tie a ribbon on the top of your crafty Easter egg and hang it anywhere you like.

2.  Sweet no bake bird's nest. Just simply cute!
Ingredients:
2 cups sugar
4 Tablespoon cocoa
1 stick butter
1/2 cup milk
1 cup peanut butter
1 Tablespoon vanilla
3 cups oatmeal
bag peanut M&Ms or mini chocolate eggs.

In a saucepan bring to boil sugar, cocoa, butter and milk. Let boil for a couple minutes and add peanut butter, vanilla and oatmeal. In order to have cookies keep shape when scooping out with cookie scoop or spoon let mix sit in the pan for 20-30 minutes (or longer if need be) stirring occasionally.

Drop mix by the spoonful onto a cookie sheet covered in wax paper. Place three M&Ms or chocolate eggs in the middle of cookie. Let set and enjoy!

3. Finished with your egg boxes? How about cutting each into 6 individual 'cups'.
All you will need after that, are some coloured little feathers from an arts and crafts store, paints and some spare eggs.
Firstly lay out your  6 individual cups and paint them each a different colour.
Let dry and then curve back the 4 edges as shown in the photo.
Meanwhile match each cup colour with a corresponding egg that you paint.
Once dry, stick or glue the coloured feather at the back of the egg and place inside each cup.
Lastly take a bit of orange paint and paint the tip of one of the folds making it look like a beak and to finish, two black dots for eyes above!
Once done, you can display them around or put them in a basket padded out with straw or yarn.

4. Now, I am not an advocate for unhealthy eating as I mentioned, however on very special occasions kids should be allowed fun treats, especially if they earn it by making it themselves.
This idea below, I thought was so cool and something I would have gone crazy creatively over as a kid.

All you need to buy is a few little gardening compost pots, now in Easter you can find them anywhere just in the form or arts and crafts supplies, be it made from cardboard or plastic. 
You will need some homemade or shop bought chocolate chip muffin, worm sweets (Marks and Spencers do 'healthy' versions),
Some bunny shaped Easter sweets of chocolates, small chocolate eggs, Twiglets or chocolate covered mint sticks and  for the grass you can go for parsley, mint or strawberries buried in the 'soil' with their tops popping out. Get creative, ask the kids while in the supermarket to think of what could make any of the items needed.

5. I love these so much. Adorable and a perfect accompaniment to a lovely dinner.

Ingredients:
2-1/2 to 3 cups all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons sugar
1 package (1/4 ounce) active dry yeast
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup (8 ounces) sour cream
1/4 cup water
2 tablespoons butter
1 egg

Directions:
1. Put the butter, the sour cream and water in a small saucepan and heat, but do not cook. Cool to tepid then add the remaining ingredients.
2. Put in a kneader. If thick add more water.
3. Let it rise double and cut into 16 equal parts.
4. Use baking tray lined with baking paper and cut the ears with scissors. Make sure you smooth the edges around, so you do not end up with devil horns. The eyes can be poked in or use pepper grains.
5. Bake at 375° for about 10 minutes or until golden brown.





Enjoy!